Alexander Van Der Meyde
Background Alexander van der Meyde is an ex-Bundeswehr general thought to have been killed following an assassination attempt from his brother, Norman van der Meyde. After surviving the bombing of his home, he has led extremist movements inside the European Federation in plots to spark war between themselves and Armor Corps, Hanse Behörde, and other members of ACC. History Born on September 13th, 1975 to the low level Dutch politician Berend van der Meyde, and the British socialite Margret Evans as the second son of their young marriage, Alexander was, like his brother born only a year before, afforded many luxuries throughout his life as a result of his parent's wealth and connections. From their family home just outside of Amsterdam, they were cared for by both their parents and an endless army of attendants, who would see to the boys every need, from their education to their dinner. As the two boys aged, it quickly became apparent that while both had inherited their parent's quick wit and social intelligence, that Alexander was the more charismatic of the two, being more photogenic as well as being able to speak fluidly and with passion on almost any topic. While this caused his brother to resent Alexander his father took it as a sign that he, not Norman, was to inherit his "legacy", leaving Norman ever more distant from his brother. Meanwhile, Alexander and Berend only grew closer as the latter imparted all that he had come to know and believe; That the path of Europe was, inevitably, to come together as one superstate, and that to support that was to be on the right side of history. This became one of the founding principles of Alexander's political life, and once the brothers had come of age, they began using the tools they had inherited from their parents to begin to garner influence and connections of their own. The distance between the two siblings helped to somewhat heal their relationship, as Alexander (entirely unaware of his brother's envy) was no longer being compared to Norman as frequently as he once was. The two continued to work to help bring about their father's dream of an idyllic future in their own ways until the invasion ruined all their plans. After surviving the initial invasion, the brothers met again to pool their assets in order to lead as many people as they could to safety. The few first months were colored by constant stress, forcing any issues the two may have had onto the back burner until their arrival in Germany. There, Norman once again began to resent his brother, as his magnetic personality and fiery speeches on the utopian future that he was to bring drew ever larger crowds to his cause. Alexander, despite growing tension due to their different opinions on the necessity of an aggressive stance towards ACC, continued following Normans direction to bring about a "better Europe". This came to a head when Alexander was put in command of the Bundeswehr, under the understanding that after the successful (and ideally peaceful) reconquest of France he would use his status as a war hero to catapult himself into the Bundestag. Meanwhile, Norman had other plans, intending to use his brother as a pawn in his plot to frame the Coalition as the ones responsible for the slaughter that was to follow. After the war in France was resolved, he hastily painted the Bundestag as incompetent and foolish for trusting that Hanse would come to their aid in the war, and in doing so destroyed Alexander's military career. In one last act of spite, Norman ordered the bombing of Alexander's apartment in their hometown only days after his dismissal from the Bundeswher, leaving him the sole unchallenged ruler of the Federation. However, unknown to his brother, Alexander survived the bombing and hid in a canal to escape detection, before meeting with some of his loyal friends only a few miles from his home. There, he was treated to prompt, clandestine medical attention for his myriad injuries which ultimately resulted in the amputation of his arm. Since then, Alexander has begun marshaling EuF personnel left discontent with the stalemate between the Federation and the Coalition. Despite having once argued strongly for peace, he now believed that any hope of an enduring peace between the two factions was rendered impossible by his brother's skullduggery, and that if the Federation was to survive, they must strike first. Appearance Tall, with naturally dark hair and striking features. Toned frame due to exercise prior to his attempted assassination. Now bares a striking and unusual prosthetic arm. Personality Alexander is, despite his forceful will and fiery persona, a careful pragmatist, capable of and willing to switch up his aims, methods, and goals as better offers present themselves. This can lead to him seeming mercurial at times, though he maintains that he carefully considers options available to him, and that he never acts rashly. Unlike his brother, Alexander is insistent on doing things by hand and cannot see the value in allowing others to carry out his will in his stead. His ability to whip crowds into a frenzy or convert even the most suspicious characters into steadfast loyalists is well known, and is a talent he uses to his advantage whenever possible. Category:NPC Category:European Federation